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Fad mhìltean bhliadhnaichean tha mac an duine air a’ mhuir agus ar lochan a chleachdadh son biadh a lorg. Tha tuathanachas uisge na dhòigh air a bhith ag àiteach lusan agus ag àraich bheathaichean sna h-uisgeachan timcheall oirnn.

Tha luach £1.8 billean sa ghnìomhachas dha eaconamaidh na h-Alba gach bliadhna, le 95% a’ tighinn à tuathanachas bhradain.
Ach an cois fàs tuathanachas uisge tha cuideachd draghan mun bhuaidh air an àrainneachd. Bho leithid dè bhuaidh a th’ aig tuathanasan èisg air grunnd na mara a thaobh làimhseachadh ceimigeach agus salchar èisg, agus a’ bhuaidh a th’ aig mialan-mara air bradan fiadhaich.

A bharrachd air tuathanas bhradain tha iomadh gnè eile de thuathanas uisge air nochdadh – leithid àrach bradan leathann, feusgain, eisirean, agus àiteach feamainn.

Dhan gnìomhachas, leis an t-saoghail 70% de dh’uisge, agus gun ach 2% de ar cuid bìdh a’ tighinn bhon mhuir, tha an tarraing agus an cothrom follaiseach.

Le sluagh an t-saoghail a’ sìor fhàs, agus an t-iarrtas airson biadh, dè cho cudromach ‘s a bhios tuathanachas uisge dha na ginealaichean ri teachd?

For thousands of years, man has looked to the seas and lochs as a source of food. Aquaculture is the process of cultivating plants or rearing animals in the waters that surround us.

The industry is currently worth over £1.8 billion to the Scottish economy each year, with salmon farming accounting for 95% of that value.

However, with aquaculture’s growth has come concerns of its impact on the environment, such as the seabed around fish farms from chemical treatment, fish waste and the impact of sea lice on wild salmon.

As well as salmon farming there are also a number of other new forms of aquaculture which have evolved, including halibut, mussel, oyster and seaweed farming. For the industry, with a planet made up of 70% water, and only 2% of our food coming from the sea, there is a clear opportunity.

As the world’s population rapidly increases, so too does the demand for food. So just how important is aquaculture going to be for future generations?